Synopsis

Mana and Kenji, twin sister and brother, found a star as little children. On a far off world, their star is called the Talshas, meaning 'Stone of Wind and Gods', and it will grant the wishes of one person for as long as they live. And though it has lain quiet for 10 years, that is swiftly changing. The twins' lives are rocked by tragedies and miracles, chance meetings that are not as innocent as they seem, and trust forged and broken as a war between two distant planets descends around them. And ultimately, the only real wishes are the ones made for the sake of another.

To me, Desert of Stars is one of the most beautiful manga that I've had the honor to read. Of course, obviously, it seems that many others do not agree with me.

Though the plot might seem simple, at first, there's really a whole lot more to it. The story isn't just about two warring planets, nor two twins who happen to be caught in the middle of the war. It's about the characters, about how they react and change to the situation. It's about Manami, who feels unwanted. It's about Kenji, who wants to help his sister. It's about Hitoshi. It's about Juou.

The art might
seem simple as well, but there really is also a whole lot more to it. The use of negative space and contrast between black and white is excellent. There are many dark and black scenes. There are also many bright and white scenes. Surprisingly, an almost eerie whiteness is used, on occasion, for extremely dramatic, heart-wrenching scenes, rather than black. It provides a different feeling to the page and is wonderfully executed.

This is definitely one instance where the art seems to say more than the words. The characters all have such a variety of expressions and seems to tell us many things in each panel, even without speaking, without words.

For me, this manga was an exquisite work of art. With each rereading, I found myself enjoying it more and more, constantly finding new things that I didn't notice before. But, even after I had the entire volume practically memorized, there was still something about it, something that captured me time and time again.